Fire-escape.



H. A. & J. WEISFBLD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

1,619,947. Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 11 INVENTORS WITNESSES By JIM W; e

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

H. A. & J. WEISFELD.

FIRE ESGAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS ZZZ) COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

H. A. & J. WEISFELD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 34 WITNESSES G.\ W

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0..w/\sHmG'ro'N. n. c.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. WEISFELD AND JACOB WEISFELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY A. WEISFELD and JACOB WEISFELD, both subjects of the Czar of Russia, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates generally to fire escapes, and more particularly is directed to an improvement in this class of construction, especially adapted to be maintained in position ready for use at the topof-a buildmg.

The primary object of our invention is. to provide a new and useful fire escape, which is maintained available for use by certain means, operating means being provided whereby the escape may be positioned on the front of the building.

A further object of our invention is to provide a new and improved fire escape, having a construction at the bottom thereof adapted to serve the purpose of a net, suitable means being provided for supporting the structure away from the ground.

A further object of our invention is to provide a collapsible and foldable fire escape, having a hose connected thereon, the hose having outlets opposite the different floors of the building, whereby a source of water supply may be connected with the bottom of the hose and the water brought to each of the floors.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved fire escape having means at the top of the building for holding it in inoperative position and available for immediate use, the said means comprising a drum which is rectangular in cross section, the network of the escape being suitably designed whereby the parts thereof may lie adjacent the four sides of the drum, 1 the platforms carried by the network being also folded on the drum along with the network.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a front View of a building equipped with our fire escape; Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing the escape in inoperative position; Fig. 3 is a side View, partly in section, showing the escape of Fig. 1; Fig. A is a vertical sectional. view, showing the means for releasing the drum on which the escape is folded; Fig. 5 is a perspective view, showing one of the platforms suspended in operative position; Fig

platforms 1, 2 and 3, which are secured in' position on a suitable network 4, made up of vertically and horizontally extending members intersecting each other, as shown particularly in Fig. l. The material of the network 4 may be anything suited to the purpose, and the vertically extending members 5 will preferably be made of flexible material, in order to provide for folding or wrapping of the network and the platforms on a drum 6, suitably positioned adjacent the top of the building. This drum is preferably rectangular in cross section, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, and the verticallyextending members 5 of the network are attached thereto by any suitable means, such as hooks 7, the drumbeing adapted to be turned in suitable bearings 8, 9, whereby the network and the platforms will be wrapped thereon, as shown in Fig. 2; the drum may be inclosed on the different sides, and such a structure as shown at 10 in Fig. 2 is preferably adapted to this purpose. A shaft 11 at one end of the drum, which rests in the bearing 8, is preferably provided with a pinion 12, the teeth of the pinion being adapted to be engaged by a movable member 13, supported on the side of the bearing by any means, such as a strap 14, the member.

being operable from the front of the building at any height, by means of a cord, wire or chain 15 extending downwardly from the top thereof.

Each of the platforms 1, 2 and 3 may be supported by the network 4 in any suitable manner, the preferred means being shown in Fig. 3, which consists of flexible braces 16 secured to the outer edge of each of the platforms and the material of the network. By such construction the platforms are adapted to be folded up against the network when the escape is wound on the drum 6. \Vhen the escape is extended in position in front of the building, it is held closely thereagainst and accessible from the windows thereof by any means, such as rods or tie members 17 extending across the fronts of some of the windows and secured at its outer ends in the side of the building, the members bringing the vertically-extending parts 5 of the network 1 closely adjacent the building. If desired, each of the platforms may be provided with suitable openings 18 at different points thereof, in order to enable the occupants of one platform to descend to the next one, the network serving as a ladder.

The lowest platform 3 is adapted, when the escape is in operative position, to be adjacent the sidewalk, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 6. This platform, which is adapted to serve the purposes of a net, is much wider than the platforms above it and is maintained in a rigid position by any means, such as telescoping uprights or columns 19 extending from the sidewalk and in engagement with the ends 20 of the platform or net. In order to maintain this platform or net in proper position and to make it rigid, we make the columns or supports 19 in two parts, adapted to be secured together by any suitable means, such as a lock nut 21, the idea being to have these supports take up the shock of a falling body, rather than the material of the network 1. The ends 20 of this platform or net are adapted to be folded, as shown particularly in Fig. 7', or may be maintained in extended position by the means shown particularly in Fig. 6. This means consists of a sliding bolt 22, carried on one side of the center ofthe end 20, the bolt engaging in suitable straps 23, 24,

' whereby folding of this member about its central point 25 is prevented. Such a construction afiords a rigid platform while adapted to serve the purposes of a net, and to protect against injury anybody jumping from one of the floors to the sidewalk.

Suitably secured adjacent one end of the network 4: is a hose or standpipe 26, of flexible material, having a number of elbows 27 adjacent the windows of the various floors, other lengths of pipe or hose being secured thereto, the purpose being to provide a quick and efficient way of getting a supply of water to the various floors after the escape has been lowered. The lower end of the standpipe or hose 26 is adapted for connection at 29 with any suitable source of water supply, such as a hydrant or engine.

When it is desired to bring the escape to the position shown in Fig. 1, the cord 15 is pulled down, thereby bringing the sliding member 13 out of engagement with the teeth of the pinion 10 on the drum 6, the drum then beginning to unfold the escape, allowing it to drop in front of the building, the weight of the escape bringing about this motion of its own accord. If, however, the structure of the escape on the sides of the building is such that this is not conveniently secured, any means, such as a motor 40, may be housed adjacent the drum and connected thereto by any means, such as a belt 41, this motor serving to unwind the drum in order to bring the escape into operative position. It is obvious that when it is desired to return the escape to its position on the drum, the motor may be turned in an opposite direction, whereby the escape may be brought ir'ito folded position on the drum. The motor may be supplied with any convenient source of power, either from a separate battery or from a lighting circuit,

It is to be noted that in the fire escape illustrated in this specification a structure is described which not only serves as a ready means of exit from a burning building, but the structure of the network is such that in the latter a construction is afforded whereby people within the building may safely descend to the street. If any of the persons using the escape should accidentally fall or should jump, the width of the lowest platform or net is such that they will be received thereon, thereby preventing them from being injured. It is also to be noted that by providing the escape with a standpipe or hose, we have provided a simple and efiicient method of quickly getting a supply of water to the various floors of a burning building. Of course, it is obvious that the escape may be modified in details as to size and shape, in order to adapt it to different structures, that the number of platforms thereon may be varied, and that the particular means for supporting the lowest platform or net may be varied, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as clefined in the claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending members, a plurality of horizontally extending members in en gagement therewith, a plurality of platforms suitably secured on the said members, together with means adapted to be positioned adjacent the top of the building, on which the said members and platforms may be wrapped, whereby when the escape is lowered in front of the windows the platforms will provide a means of escape from the building.

2. A fire escape comprising a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending members in engagement with the said vertically exing, and other means, comprising a drum adjacent the top of the building on which the escape is adapted to be, wrapped and held out of view, suitable means being provided to release the drum and lower the escape in front of the building.

3. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending members, in engagement therewith, a plurality of platforms carried by the said members, means for supporting the said platforms, a platform adjacent the bottom of the said 4 members and of substantially greater width than the platforms above, together with means between the walk and the said platform, for supporting it in position, whereby a life net is afforded.

A. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending members in engagement therewith, a plurality of platforms secured on the said members, means for securing the said platforms in horizontal position when the escape is in operative position on the front of the building, means carried by the building for engagement with the members of the escape, in order to hold it closely adjacent the windows, the lowest platform being of substantially greater width than the one above, the ends of the platform being foldable, whereby all of the platforms, together with the said members, are adapted to be folded, a drum adjacent the top of the building on which the said members and platforms may be folded, and means for turning the said drum, whereby the escape may be lowered in front of the building or returned in position on the drum, other means being provided for releasing the drum.

5. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending members in engagement therewith, a plurality of platforms secured to the said members and, when in normal position, extending at right angles thereto, means for securing the platforms in such position, the lowest platform being of substantially greater width than the ones there-above, the ends of the platforms being foldable, together with standards or uprights in engagement with the walk and the said platform, whereby it is supported in position and a life net. is secured.

6. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending mem bers in engagement therewith, a plurality of platforms suitably secured on the members, means engaging the said members and the platforms for bracing them, other means rotatably mounted adjacent the top of a building on which the said escape is adapted to be wrapped.

7. A fire escape comprising a network made up of vertically and horizontally extending flexible members, a plurality of platforms secured to the said members, means cooperating with a building and the said members in order to hold the escape close to the building, together with a rotatable drum adjacent the top of the building on which the escape is adapted to be wrapped.

8. A fire escape made up of a plurality of vertically extending flexible members, a plurality of horizontally extending members in engagement therewith, a platform carried by the said members adjacent the lower ends thereof and at a suitable distance from the sidewalk, there being a drum adjacent the top of the building on which the escape is adapted to be folded, the escape in unfolded position lying adjacent the front of the building, the said platform forming a life net;

9. A fire escape made up of suitable supporting members having a platform carried thereby, a rotatable drum supported adjacent the top of a building on which the supporting members are adapted to be wrapped, the said platform, when the supporting members are in unwrapped position, being positioned adjacent the sidewalk, there being suitable means engaging the platform and the sidewalk for supporting the platform whereby a life net is provided.

10. A fire escape made up of vertically and horizontally extending supporting members, the vertically extending members being flexible whereby they may be wrapped on a suitable drum, together with a platform having one end in engagement with the supporting members, and means engaging the supporting members and the outer end of the platform for bracing it, the platform being adapted to be brought closely adjacent the supporting members and be folded on the said drum.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY A. WEISFELD, JACOB WEISFELD.

Witnesses:

LAURENCE J. GALLAGHER, JOHN P. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

